• killingspark@feddit.org
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    2
    ·
    15 days ago

    I mean it could have impact on the real world, the same as seriously discussing “can we still do algebra with the imaginary result of taking the root of -1”. Apparently that was purely theoretical nonsense until we noticed that that allows us to do some very cool stuff in the real world.

    • moriquende@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      1
      ·
      15 days ago

      I’m not saying all hypotheticals are useless. This one of whether a ship is still the same in particular is, though (other than for fun). Imaginary numbers were discovered as a tool while solving mathematical problems, so I would not say they are the same.

      • webghost0101@sopuli.xyz
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        2
        ·
        edit-2
        15 days ago

        If i deconstruct 60% of a ship. Leave the 40% idle while i use the 60% to elsewhere construct a full ship and then proceed to rebuild the 40% in an identical full ship.

        Which ship should get the original name?